Collapsible bench



Feb. 19, 1957 R. FAGAN 2,782,075;

COLLAPSIBLE BENCH Filed April 4, 1955 in'. ii;

van" v INVENTOR. Roscoe Fagan United States Patent O COLLAPSIBLE BENCH Roscoe Fagan, Kansas City, Kans. Application April 4, 1955, Serial N0. 498,973 s'claims. (c1. 304-2) This invention relates to benches or scaffolding adapted for many uses, but particularly designed to facilitate the tasks accompanying interior decorating wherein it is oftentimes necessary for the workman to paint or carry out other operations at heights beyond reach.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide a bench that is lightweight, yet strong, easily and inexpensively manufactured and fully collapsible so that the same may be stored or moved from place to place without dfliculty.

More specifically, it is an important object of this invention to provide a bench that includes an elongated sectional platform hingedly constructed for folding and having leg structure that is not only extensible, but likewise foldable within the confines of the platform sections when the bench is stored or moved.

Other objects include important details of construe tion, for example, the novel arrangement for reinforcing the platform sections to prevent downward deflection midway of the ends thereof at the point of articulation; the way in which the leg structures are reinforced through braces that swing and shift to a collapsed condition; and the manner of releasably locking the sections together, as well as the braces to the corresponding platform sections.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view of a collapsible bench made pursuant to my present invention, parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the bench collapsed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 2.

It is to be preferred that, for the most part, the bench shown in the drawing be made from tubular metal or other lightweight material and, to this end, there is provided a platform broadly designated by the numeral supported by identical leg structures 12 and 14 at the outermost ends thereof.

The platform 10 is subdivided into a pair of sections 16 and 18 reinforced by an underlying tie 20 which cooperates with the platform 10 in receiving and releasably attaching braces 22 and 24 for leg structures 12 and 14 respectively. The tie 20 is similarly subdivided into a pair of sections or lengths 26 and 28.

The two rectangular platform sections 16 and 18 are reinforced transversely by a plurality of cross elements 30, the innermost cross elements 30a being further reinforced by framework 32 presenting a hand opening to permit carrying of the bench by grasping a transverse tube 34.

Tie lengths 26 and 28 are hingedly interconnected by a cross shaft 36 that passes through the tube 34. Each of the two tie lengths 26 is in turn joined with the over- 2,782,075 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 lying section 16 by a pair of upstanding posts 38, one of which is provided with a laterally extending lug 40. Similarly, a pair of posts 42 interconnect the section 18 and the tie length 2,8,fone of such posts 42 having a laterally extending lug 44. Take-up fasteners 46 carried by the two posts 38 join with the posts 42 to clamp together the proximal innermost ends of theV sections 16 and 18 in `abutting relationship and also draw the lug 40 tightly against the opposed post 42, as well as draw the lug 44 against the opposed post 38.

The A-shaped leg structures 12 and 14 are provided with uppermost cross elements 48 telescoped through cross elements 30b and intermediate cross elements 50 (Fig. 5) that swingably receive thefree ends of the legs of U-shaped braces 22 and 24 respectively. The bight of brace 22 is interposed between platform section 16 and tie length 26 and similarly the bight of U-shaped brace 24 is interposed between platform section 18 and itstie length 28. Tie length 26 is joined intermediate the ends thereof with the overlying section 16 by stops 52 and similar stops 54 are provided between the section 18 and the tie length 28.

The manner of releasably holding the bights of the leg structures 22 and 24 against their corresponding stops 52 and 54 respectively, are identical and, therefore, only one will be described. lt consists of a rod 56 rotatably carried by cross elements 30h and 30C and having a hook 58 at its outermost end. The rod 56 is held in place through the medium of a cross key 60 at its innermost end. Nuts 62 threaded on the rod 56, bear against cross element 30e and thereby limit inward movement of the rod 56. A latch 64 rigid to the rod 56 swingable therewith is interposed between the nuts 62 and the bights of the corresponding braces 22 and 24 to hold such bights tightly against stops 52 and 54 respectively when the nuts 62 are properly adjusted on the rod 56.

The tubular legs of the structures 12 and 14 have inner extensions 66 telescoped therewithin and attached thereto by cross pins 68 selectively insertable in any one of a number of cross openings 70 whereby the height of the platform 10 may be varied.

In order that the user may stand on the platform 10 and walk therealong, there is provided a cover 72 of vany suitable material such as expanded metal which may be welded in place, it being understood however, that panels 72 for each of the sections 16 and 18, terminate adjacent the cross elements 30a in order to leave a hand opening within the confines of framework 32 as aforementioned.

The bench may be folded into the condition shown by Fig. 2 of the drawing by releasing the take-up fasteners 46 and by grasping the hooks 58 to rotate the rods 56 and thereby swing the latches 64 out of engagement with the bights of the braces 22 and 24. Thereupon, the leg structures 12 and 14 may be folded beneath the corresponding platform sections 16 and 18 and during such folding, the braces 22 and 24 slide along the tie lengths 26 and 28 respectively toward posts 38 and 42 as seen in Fig. 3. When the sections 16 and 1S are swung relatively on the hinge pin 36 and folded as shown in Fig. 3, the hooks 58 may be looped together, thereby interconnecting the sections 16 and 18 at their outermost ends and confining the leg structures 12 and 14, as well as the braces 22 and 24 between the sections 16 and 18.

It is to be noted particularly, that the bench is extremely strong notwithstanding its lightness because of the fact that, as the operator stands upon the panels 72 adjacent the center of the platform 10, tie element 20 will prevent downward deflection of the platform 10 and the weight of the operator will merely cause the innermost ends of the sections 16 and 18 to bear moreV tightly against each other. Furthermore, as the operator walks along the platform 10, the leg structures 12 and 14 cannot buckle inwardly or outwardly because of the fact that the bights of the braces 22 and 24 are clamped tightly between the stops 52 and 54 and the corresponding latches 64.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible bench comprising an elongated platform having a pair of normally coplanar sections provided with innermost ends in abutting relationship; a tie joining the outermost ends of said sections therebeneath, said tie having a pair of lengths hingedly connected beneath said innermost ends of the sections, each length having a post joining a corresponding section adjacent the hinge connection; take-up means clamping the posts and said innermost ends together; leg structure swingably mounted on each section respectively at the outermost ends thereof; a brace swingable on each leg structure respectively and slidable along corresponding tie lengths; and releasable means locking the braces to their sections References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 158,336 Tieman Dec. 29, 1874 324,320 Hanson Aug. 11, 1885 605,367 Wright et al. June 7, 1898 1,115,775 Bisbach Nov. 3, 1914 1,232,437 Simpson July 3, 1917 1,476,279 Basford Dec. 4, 1923 1,667,080 Ramsey Apr. 24, 1928 a" "nl 

